Developing literacy begins at birth. By the age of three, a child’s brain is already 80% developed, and, by the time a child enters kindergarten, they must already know thousands of words in order to succeed in the classroom. Reading aloud to a child and giving them access to books is the best way to ensure they are prepared to enter kindergarten.
Through the state's partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, they are working to send every child in Ohio from birth to age five a new book each month. Research has shown that a child with 25 books in their home complete an average of two additional years of schooling compared to their peers without books in their home. The goal of the initiative is that every kindergartener begins school with 60 books in their home.
The Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library was founded in 2019 with financial support from the Ohio General Assembly and affiliates across the state. The program was initially only available in several counties, but became a statewide program by November 2020. All kids between birth and age 5, regardless of where they live in Ohio, are eligible to be enrolled in the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library.
For more information go to: https://www.unitedwaytrumbull.org/imaginationlibrary
To enroll go to: https://ohioimaginationlibrary.org/enroll